American Society of the French
The American Society of the French Legion of Honor is a private foundation located in Goshen, New York. Established in 1949, the organization was founded by Hon. Guy N. Wildenstein, President of the art dealership Wildenstein & Company. The foundation operates with a single staff member and focuses on strengthening French-American relations through educational, cultural, and literary initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.0M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$213K
-7.5% YoY
Grant Count
20
-9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+1.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, American Society of the French reported a distributable amount of $146K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization's primary purpose is to promote friendship between France and the United States through education and literature. The foundation pursues this mission by:
- Funding educational programs and exchange programs
- Publishing a newsletter and magazine
- Holding receptions to promote appreciation of French-American culture
- Supporting cultural and socio-educational programs
- Publishing The Cohorte publication
Grantmaking
The foundation made 21 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2024). Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Goshen, New York and maintains a telephone contact at 212-439-0205. While headquartered in New York, the foundation supports organizations across the United States, including institutions in multiple states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $3,008,795
- Total Revenues: $202,376
- Total Expenses: $440,702
- Staff: 1 employee
The foundation maintains substantial assets relative to its annual revenue and expenses, indicating a well-established endowment supporting its grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,008,795 | $2,958,901 | $3,131,373 |
| Revenue | $202,376 | $134,692 | $604,349 |
| Expenses | $440,702 | $438,698 | $740,210 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $396,567 | $378,814 | $676,958 |
| Net Investment Income | $149,600 | $60,160 | $182,180 |
| Distributable Amount | $145,871 | $149,026 | $182,282 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Humanus Documentary Films Corp ($30,000), Cottey College ($20,626), Oeuvres Sociales Du Grand Chancelier-maisons D'education De La Legion D'hon ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FRANCAISE OF WESTCHESTER WHITE PLAINS, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| CAF AMERICA (SPORT DANS LA VILLE) ALEXANDRIA, VA | SUPPORT OF EXCHANGE PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE DALLAS, TX | SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| COTTEY COLLEGE NEVADA, MO | SUPPORT OF EXCHANGE PROGRAM | $20,626 |
| ECOLES D'ART AMERICAINES DE FONTAINEBLEAU FORT LEE, NJ | SUPPORT OF EXCHANGE PROGRAM | $9,000 |
| FRENCH AMERICAN ACADEMY ENGLEWOOD, NJ | SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| FRENCH INSTITUTEALLIANCE FRANCAISE NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| FRENCH-AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK MAMARONECK, NY | SUPPORT OF EXCHANGE PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| FRENCH-AMERICAN SCHOOL OF RHODE ISLAND PROVIDENCE, RI | SUPPORT OF CULTURAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GUY N WILDENSTEIN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| RICK GOINGS | VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| HON NICOLE HIRSH | VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOHN FORT CRAWFORD | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| HON HOWARD LEACH | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| NINA ZAGAT | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARC-ANDRE POIRIER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| FRANCOISE CESTAC | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER FORBES | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ISABELLE JOUANNEAU-FERTIG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIC RIPERT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH STRIBLING | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANTOINE TREUILLE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does American Society of the French fund?
The organization's primary purpose is to promote friendship between France and the United States through education and literature. The foundation pursues this mission by: • Funding educational programs and exchange programs • Publishing a newsletter and magazine • Holding receptions to promote appreciation of French-American culture • Supporting cultural and socio-educational programs • Publishing *The Cohorte* publication
How do I apply for a grant from American Society of the French?
The foundation made 21 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2024). Recent grants include: • Humanus Documentary Films Foundation: $30,000 (Support of Educational Program, 2024) • Cottey College: $20,626 (Support of Exchange Program, 2024) • The French-American School of New York (FASNY): $10,000 (Support of Exchange Program, 2024) The foundation has also supported The Grand Chancellerie Of The Legion Of Honor among other grantees.
Where does American Society of the French make grants?
The foundation is based in Goshen, New York and maintains a telephone contact at 212-439-0205. While headquartered in New York, the foundation supports organizations across the United States, including institutions in multiple states.
What size grants does American Society of the French award?
In 2024, American Society of the French awarded 20 grants totaling $213K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is American Society of the French required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, American Society of the French reported a distributable amount of $146K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is American Society of the French's EIN?
American Society of the French's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-0434237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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